A Time to be Thankful
by Herald Mistylenna
Summary: I wanted to make this a Thanksgiving story but it didn't go exactly like planned. Anyway, this is about a young girl called Sara and an ordinary day for her. Please read and review.


Disclaimer: It doesn't belong to me. Companions and Valdemar belong to Mercedes Lackey.  
  
Author's Note: I just realized that it was Thanksgiving today and I didn't have a story ready for it. So I'm writing this as fast as I can and hope I don't run out of ideas. I also know that I haven't written or updated in a long time-almost six months-due to my computer deleting my stories twice and being in the hospital for a while. Anyway, have a Happy Thanksgiving whenever I get this up.  
  
"It's the time of year to give thanks to what we have," the priest said with his fake smile firmly in place. "When we should share what we have with each other and give thanks to the Gods who have given you what you need."  
  
The priest smiled as he was given a large amount of gold for the poor. Of course it never went to the poor. Most of it would go to the temple and the "poor" would receive stale bread and water and maybe an apple or two. This was how it had always been and that is how it would remain. No gods where responsible for it. This was a fact of life. Human nature was corrupted with greed and nothing would change that. Not even today where you should share what you have with the people less fortunate than you and be thankful for what you have.  
  
Sara turned away and walked out of the temple. She was just disgusted by everything; the greedy priest, the rich nobles, and all those people who were just in there to get something to eat. She hated these people. Greedy people they were, nothing more.  
  
But could she really blame them? After all, it was in human nature to be greedy and the desire to survive. She should be thankful-how she hated that word-to have a place to be warm. Some people didn't even have that.  
  
Sara was an orphan. Her parents had died when she was just ten and now, five years later, she was still living in the streets. She had become a thief to survive. There really had been only one other option and she had not been willing to do that. Sara shuddered at that thought and hurried her steps, tugging her worn coat around her. The coat was actually a gift from her mother, the only thing that she had left of them. And it was the only thing to keep her warm.  
  
Sara had been working all day and she was tired. She had gotten enough money to sustain herself for a couple of days. Some merchants shouldn't trust a little girl. She chuckled at that thought. It had really been too easy. Nobody noticed a girl like her. The only thing that stood out about Sara, were her green eyes and her height. She was as tall as any ten year old. So no one would suspect her of stealing. Not when she had perfected an excellent excuse and could cry if she needed to. One thing she had noticed that nobody liked it when little children were crying.  
  
The sound of someone crying startled Sara. She looked around. Almost everyone was at a temple. People did not give up a chance to get free food from a temple. Curiously, Sara followed the noise. She kept to the shadows, her dark skin and black hair blending in perfectly with her surroundings. Sara quickly made her way to the source of the sound.  
  
"You know, you should go home or at least to a temple or something, " Sara said to the crying child. She pitied the poor child whose rags-these things could hardly be called clothes-looked up at her. "Why aren't you with someone? You can't be more than five years old."  
  
The child looked up at her with his face a mess from all the crying. He sniffed and looked at her. "Momma?" he asked.  
  
Sara sighed. This little one was obviously abandoned by his parents. He wouldn't last a week before.. Sara shuddered again. She couldn't let anyone be subjected to that.  
  
"Now, dear, you just come with me," she said as sweetly as she could and hoped that the smile on her face wouldn't send him off running. Of course, he probably would follow anyone who could tell him what was going on.  
  
Sara took off her coat and put it around the boy. Then, she took his hand and walked for a time until they came to an orphanage. Sara knew this place and knew that this was a good place for someone to grow up. She knocked on the door and immediately a woman opened the door. Sara smiled slightly. "Hello Anna. I've found this young one on the streets. I think he's an orphan. Can you take care of him?"  
  
Anna was the person in charge of the orphanage and with sheer stubbornness and a certain amount of blackmailing had kept it open for several years. Sara knew that most people in her neighborhood had given some money to the orphanage at least once in the last year. How Anna managed that, she didn't know but she found herself giving Anna a few coins once or twice.  
  
"Oh, dear, you must be frozen," Anna cooed. "Thanks for bringing him here, my dear," she added to Sara. "I don't know how some people can be so irresponsible."  
  
Sara grinned. She gave a quick thanks to Anna and was halfway down the street before she remember to bring her coat. "Oh, well," she muttered. "I guess I can always get it tomorrow."  
  
She shivered as it began to snow and walked faster to reach her home. What she called home was actually a room in an attic. Her parents had bought it and the landlord had allowed her to keep it since he had been a friend of her father. Finally, after climbing some stairs and cursing the winter and the cold, cold wind, she managed to get to her room. She smiled in relief as she noticed that it was warmer than outside.  
  
After a quick dinner, she climbed out of the window. Not many would guess that she was a good climber but Sara just loved heights. And she did have a good view on the roof. She could see most of her neighborhood up here. She settled herself in a sheltered corner and just watched the view. She often imagined that there was someone with her who could understand her. Some nights she almost thought that a person was next to her until she turned and no one was there.  
  
"I found a boy in the streets," Sara told her invisible friend. "Some parents shouldn't even have a child if they don't want it. Did you hear what the priest said? I don't think I could have stayed another minute. I almost felt the greed that was coming from him. What a monster in human disguise. Sometimes, I'm ashamed of being another human being."  
  
She laughed darkly then listened for a while. Nothing was heard for a while. Then: "You think that not everyone is bad. Well, I haven't seen an example of that. Well, except for Anna. She almost got me into that orphanage but I'd have gone crazy in there after a week. I need to have fresh air."  
  
She sensed a feeling of slight amusement from the presence. "Yes, I know that's not the only reason I stay here. This is the only way that I can spare others what I have become," she said quietly and with sadness. "I became a thief and I have to steal to survive. And those merchants have more than enough anyway. They should give something to the poor."  
  
She shook her head. She was going crazy, thinking that she was sensing emotions from someone when no one was there. "At least the people to whom I give the food that I earn won't be hungry for a day," she grinned. How long would it take for the priest to realize that most of the food from his own kitchen had been stolen to give to those who needed it more?  
  
Sara looked at the stars. She wasn't really unhappy with her life. It was better than some others that she knew. At least her body was still hers and she had her freedom. And she could protect the children that become orphans every single day.  
  
"I guess there are things that I should be thankful for," she whispered. "At least I can make a difference."  
  
*~*~*  
  
And at the Companions Field, one particular Companion was looking at the stars.  
  
:It won't be long now: he whispered to the mind that could not hear him yet. :Just a bit more time. Then you will have the chance to make a difference. For there are things that everyone should be thankful for.:  
  
Author's Note: I don't know what I just wrote. I guess it's sort of like a Thanksgiving story. But I'm not sure. But still, I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving. 


End file.
